Andy Street: Springfield university campus training centre playing 'key role tackling homes shortage'
A new construction training centre to be built at a university campus will play a key role in bringing dormant sites back to life across the Black Country, providing much-needed housing.
The University of Wolverhampton campus at the old Springfield Brewery site will be home to a National Brownfield Institute, which will be dedicated to bringing industrial land back into use.
The announcement was made by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street on a visit to the site yesterday and university bosses hailed the development as a major boost for the city.
Professor Geoff Layer, vice-chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, said: “Our vision for Springfield is that it becomes a hub for excellence in construction and the built environment on a national and even international scale.
“The National Brownfield Institute is a major part of these plans and we see it as being very much a beacon for skills, providing solutions through innovation and new technology for the sector as a whole.
“There is a huge amount of brownfield land across the Black Country and wider West Midlands and we are looking forward to helping play an integral role in identifying and unlocking that land’s potential for regeneration and in particular supporting ways to address the housing shortage.”
Wolverhampton Council leader Roger Lawrence welcomed the announcement.
He said: "This is very good news for the city. It enables us to focus on development work around brownfield land reclamation and the creation of new developments."
The mayor also used the visit to announce details of a new £5 million construction training programme which will aim to create 2,800 jobs.
More than 200,000 homes are needed across the West Midlands by 2031 and chiefs need to ensure there are enough workers do to the job.
Mr Street said: "That will require fresh ways of thinking and greater use of new, advanced home building methods.
“But we also need to make sure local people have those skills most needed by house builders and companies building the big transport infrastructure schemes and commercial developments coming on stream.
“At the moment many are struggling to find local people to fill those jobs so this new training fund will involve working closely with the construction industry to close that skills gap.”
